1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming technique. Specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can display a process relating to an exchanged component on display unit according to a determined sequence of execution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine and the like requires regular exchanging or maintenance of components so as to keep predetermined image forming performance. For example, a service person calls at a place of a customer to perform exchange of components and calibration executed as maintenance of an image forming apparatus. At this moment, the service person checks a state of the apparatus or orders to start execution of various calibrations via an information display device such as a liquid crystal panel, a CRT or the like mounted on a manipulation unit of the image forming apparatus.
On the other hand, as the technical advancement of the image forming apparatus increases the number of components and the number of kinds of adjustment items, it has problems in that it complicates the maintenance operation and increases time spent for the maintenance.
As image forming apparatuses are improved in the image quality and speeded up, applications in the field called “Print On Demand: POD” of conventional image forming apparatuses mainly used in offices, which treats printed materials such as variable printing or on-demand publication involved in book binding used in the printing industry as commodity product, have been widened. In the field of POD, technical knowledge is necessary to manipulate an image forming apparatus in many ways, and if a trouble occurs, restore the apparatus in a short time to prevent the throughput from being lowered.
For example, the operator needs to execute the same operations as maintenance conventionally performed by a service person in a short time such as checking or exchanging operation of consumable components or components to be exchanged, image adjustment or the like after exchanging operation. Accordingly, operations by an operator are highly prone to operation errors than those performed by an experienced service person. If a time spent in the operations is long, it may affect shipment of printed materials as products.
As a technique for solving the problems, the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-215985 discloses a technique for improving operability of the device by aiding operations of the operator with display/audio guidance on a maintenance processing procedure described in a manual or the like.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-56638 discloses a technique for eliminating worker's trouble by automatically executing an adjustment operation in exchanging components; otherwise the operation is performed by a service person in exchanging components.
If common processing is executed for a plurality of times in exchanging a plurality of kinds of components to which the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-215985 is applied and exchanging of each component is executed in order according to processing steps, however, common processing becomes redundant. That is to say, when an operation of exchanging each component is focused on, a correct operation according to processing is possible. If a processing step relating to exchanging of a plurality of kinds of components is focused on, the operation becomes inefficient as it executes the redundant processing steps.
A case where a service person or an operator performs adjustment processes (process 1, process 2) after exchanging a plurality of kinds of components, for example, three components of a component A, a component B, and a component C as shown in FIG. 12, according to the description of a manual, will be described.
First, an operator or the like performs a clearing process of a counter A (process 1) indicating the frequency of use of the component A and a calibration process 1 (process 2) for image adjustment, after exchanging the component A. Next, in exchanging the component B, the operator performs clearing process of a counter B (process 1) indicating a frequency of use of the component B and a calibration 1 (process 2) for image adjustment in exchanging the component B. Then finally, the operator or the like performs clearing process of a counter C (process 1) indicating a frequency of use of the component C and a calibration process 2 (process 2) for image adjustment after exchanging the component C.
In the case of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-215985, display/audio guidance can save an operator a trouble of reading a manual.
When the component A, the component B and the component C are exchanged at the same time, the “calibration 1” required in exchanging the component A is the same as the “calibration 1” required in exchanging the component B. Therefore, if an exchanging operation of components is serially executed in order according to processing steps, execution of the calibration 1 will be redundant.
When a plurality of kinds of components are exchanged at the same time and an adjustment operation required for each component is independently executed at the same time according to the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-56638, processing which cannot be executed may be occur depending on a timing of an adjustment operation. In some cases, it may be more preferable to operate in serial according to processing steps than to operate in parallel.